Acts: The Beginning of the Church

Many of us hear it all the time: “I’m going to church tomorrow,” or “I attend this church.” But what is the church? It isn’t a place we go or something we do; it’s who we are. If you’re a Christian, you are part of the church (1 Corinthians 12:27)! God’s family is made up of all Jesus’s followers from all over the world, regardless of their background or where they meet. Acts is a great book of the Bible to read if you want to learn more about the church. It tells the history of the first Christians after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. If you think church history is boring, think again. Acts is full of action—including riots, shipwrecks, and miracles—as the first Christians continued Jesus’s mission: sharing the good news about how Jesus came to save us, and helping each other follow Him (Matthew 28:18-20). The book of Acts starts in Israel, where Jesus’s disciples were staying, but when Jesus sends them His Spirit, things change (Acts 2). These Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, begin to speak in all different languages about the wonderful things God has done, and the good news about Jesus spreads from Jerusalem and the Jewish people, throughout the entire world and to all people. Acts goes on to show the early church gathering as a family in Christ, giving us a powerful example of what Christian community can look like. They love others and serve those in need, and they spend time together worshipping God and learning more about Him through Scripture. No matter what the church faced, whether persecution, threats, imprisonment, questioning, or execution, the church only grew stronger. Nothing could stop Jesus’s kingdom from spreading, and it will continue to spread until He returns! Today, we get to continue the mission Jesus gave us thousands of years ago: sharing the good news of Jesus with the world through loving God and loving people (Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:35). • Abby Ciona • Throughout history, people in the church have gotten things wrong and acted in ways that don’t align with God’s Word. This grieves God, and He calls His people to repent. When you see things in the church that don’t align with God’s Word, how can you draw attention to these things? Who are trusted Christians you can talk to? “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (CSB)

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Acts:2